1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a light-emitting apparatus and automotive headlamps and, in particular, to a light-emitting apparatus having a light-emitting module and a control circuit unit for controlling the lighting thereof and automotive headlamps having the light-emitting apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, active developments have been going on for automotive headlamps using semiconductor light emitting elements such as LEDs (light emitting diodes). Proposed in this connection have been technologies for supporting both the light emitting elements and the lighting circuit components with a metallic substrate having a high thermal conductivity in order to ensure proper heat dissipation from these light emitting elements and lighting circuit components controlling the lighting thereof (see Patent Document 1, for example).    [Patent Document 1] Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (Kokai) No. 2005-259603.
In wiring electrically conductive members on the metallic substrate as described in the above-cited patent document, it is not easy to reduce the cost because of the necessity for processes such as covering the conductive members with an insulating layer. On the other hand, it is required that a light emitting module and a control circuit unit for controlling the lighting thereof be electrically connected to each other with high reliability over a long time.
Thus, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and a purpose thereof is to electrically connect the light emitting module and the control circuit unit with each other in a simple structure while realizing excellent heat dissipation from them both.